Tasteful. Sustainable. Organic. Desirable attributes in any construction project. Here's the element that may surprise you - we are talking about timber!

Timber buildings have moved on since the traditional log cabin but that ethos of sustainability, calm and focus has remained. We have seen some really great timber build projects over the last couple of months that we want to share with you.

The Black and White Building 

The first is one in which we were directly involved. The Black and White Building in Shoreditch [1] is a phenomenal building that is owned and operated by the Office Group. We supported the Office Group through the concept and development phases of the build, supplying them with a team that was instrumental in the success of the building's construction. 

The Black and White Building truly embraces the organic feel. From the outside, it is sleek, modern and attractive. It looks functional and whilst eye-catching, it does not feel out of place alongside the more traditional red brick buildings with which it shares the street. Once inside however, you are swept away by the incredible commitment to the sustainable ethos of the build. The interior is warm and welcoming, full of greenery and with a very ergonomic feel.

This innovative building is a haven for city workers, providing ample opportunity for well-being with its own yoga studio and encouraging green transport with the provision of secure bicycle storage and showering facilities. The building is designed to maximise its energy efficiency, with clever features such as the timber shading fins that line the outside of the building, which enhance the natural light and heat distribution whilst the solar panels on the roof generate much of the electricity needed to operate the building. 

CLT Innovation Center for the Arts University Bournemouth

With both innovation and arts in its name, the unusual appearance of the CLT Innovation Centre [2] isn't as surprising as you might imagine. We love the quirky nature of this building and can well imagine how being inside it can help young entrepreneurs to develop their ideas into the businesses of the future.

Hobbit-hole shaped in appearance, bright orange puzzle pieces made of interdependent flat-faced cross laminated timber cones and prefabricated panels come together in an intriguing manner, creating a series of angular focus pads where the brainchilds of the future can connect with leading industry experts and make use of a range of next-gen technologies to bring their ideas to life.

The structure of the building allows natural light to flow in, whilst its bright and cheerful appearance are in stark contrast to the monochrome, rectangular buildings on either side of it. 

Unit 4 - Quantum Logistics Park

Unit 4 at the Quantum Logistics Park in Ireland [3] is timber taken to the extreme, in the most effective and tasteful manner. Not merely a building, but 73,000 square feet of industrial facilities, including a marshalling office and Category A offices and staff facilities, this phenomenal building is a masterpiece to behold.

It fully embraces sustainability, being certified by BREEAM and the USGBC. Amongst its range of environmental credentials are six electric vehicle parking spaces and ten bicycle spaces, LED lighting with occupancy controls, rainwater harvesting to reduce water consumption and photovoltaic solar powers, which generate much of the Unit's energy requirements. Indeed, the entire fabric of the building has been carefully selected for its thermal performance, requiring minimal artificial heating and cooling to maintain a comfortable operating temperature for its occupants. 

For such a large industrial development, the care that has gone into this building is truly groundbreaking and offers a vision of the future, whereby carbon emissions resulting from logistics supply chains can be offset against the facilities that house them.

Summary 

With pressure mounting for businesses to develop plans for achieving net zero, investing in timber buildings offers a unique opportunity to look beyond the possible and to develop new ways of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the structures that we are building. No longer do we need to be tied to traditional building processes. Investing in innovative technologies and harvesting the elements can not only generate the power that the buildings need to operate but reduce their carbon footprint at the same time.

If your business is embarking on a pioneering build and needs specialist talent to support it in its endeavours, please contact Build Space today. We would love to discuss your plans and put in place the support that you need to make them a reality. 

Resources:

[1] https://www.theofficegroup.com/uk/the-black-and-white-building

[2] https://www.archdaily.com/890190/peter-cooks-crab-studio-reveals-sunny-clt-innovation-center-for-the-arts-university-bournemouth?ad_source=search&ad_medium=projects_tab

[3] https://quantumlogisticspark.com/unit-four/